New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has initiated a fresh process to appoint a new concessionaire for managing toll collection at all 156 entry points in the city. The civic body has issued an online technical and financial proposal, inviting interested developers to oversee toll tax collection from designated commercial vehicles and to upgrade toll plaza barriers.
According to the recently issued e-tender notice, the selected agency will also be responsible for collecting environment compensation charges (ECC) from vehicles and depositing them on a weekly basis. The toll collection will be conducted using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology at 13 toll points, handheld devices at 111 locations, and manual or alternative methods at the remaining plazas. The deadline for submitting proposals is March 24.
This new initiative, approved by the House in February, aims to boost revenue generation. MCD has set a target of at least Rs 900 crore in annual revenue from toll collection, compared to Rs 864 crore collected so far. By September 2024, the civic body had already collected Rs 786.6 crore, but given that toll tax remains a crucial revenue stream, MCD now aims to increase annual collections to Rs 950-1,000 crore.
The contract is proposed for a three-year period, with a provision for a six-month extension. To attract more bidders, MCD has revised the eligibility criteria, including modifying the requirement for bidders to have prior experience managing at least 122 toll lanes.
However, the finalisation of the project hinges on the formation of the standing committee, which has been pending for nearly two years. The committee is crucial for determining toll rates and selecting the concessionaire. Due to the absence of this committee, the current concessionaire has received two extensions beyond April 10, 2024. “To prevent financial losses, it is essential to establish the standing committee at the earliest,” an official stated.
Currently, MCD levies toll charges as per Delhi government’s 2007 notification. Taxi operators without an MCD tag are charged Rs 100 per trip, while those with the tag pay Rs 3,000 monthly. Charges for commercial trucks are higher. Initially, Delhi had 124 toll points, but 30 more were added later, bringing the total to 156. On average, 1,05,989 commercial vehicles enter the national capital daily, with nearly 70,000 being taxis or cabs.